I’m OK!

11/08/2007 Estreitta 1 Comments

Well today I went to work for the first time since October 26.  We had a meeting that has been scheduled for a while and I thought it would be good to get out of the house since I hadn't gone anywhere since my surgery on October 29.

A few people stopped by my desk to say hi and tell me they were thinking of me.  It felt good to be missed.  I was in the office for a few hours to go to a meeting.  I had a stack of Mail that weighed at least 20 lbs I am sure… J

Well I have had a few people ask me why I have to go back get surgery , so I decided I will give you the explanation that Dr. Perry me and what I understood.

Basically the DCIS was spread about a quarter section of my the ducts in the upper part of the breast.  The DCIS cells are like course salt spread in multiple areas some are concentrated some are not.  During the surgery Dr. Perry takes "frozen pathology reprort" or Frozen section analysis:  

 

Frozen section: Microscopic examination of a specimen of tissue that has been quick-frozen. This method gives a quick diagnosis, sometimes while the surgeon is waiting to complete a procedure. The diagnosis is confirmed in a few days by a more detailed study called a permanent section.

 

In layman's terms they quick freeze sections of the tissue and send it to the pathology lab to see if the tissues contain all of the calcifications or if more tissue needs to be removed. What they are looking is for what they call is "Clear Margins:

 

Clear margins: Pathological term used to describe an adequate amount of normal tissue that is surgically removed along with the breast cancer.

 

When the Pathologist sees clear margins they let Dr. Perry know and they stop removing the tissue and wait on the "Permanent Pathology Report" or Permanent Section Analysis:

 

Permanent section: Preparation of tissue for microscopic examination. The tissue is soaked in formaldehyde, processed in various chemicals, surrounded by a block of wax, sliced very thin, attached to a microscope slide and stained. This usually takes 1-2 days. It provides a clear view of the specimen so that the presence or absence of cancer can be determined.

                

                                                  

So even though during the surgery the Frozen pathology report showed they got all of the cells the permanent pathology report showed there was about 5 mm section near the breast bone that still needed to be removed.  So that is what we are doing tomorrow afternoon (Friday – Nov 8 @ 1:00) getting that 5 mm section. 

 

With the last report they are now able to pin point the exact area needing to be removed so there is a greater chance that I won't have to go back again! Praise God.

 

Typically with the type of cancer I was diagnosed with the doctors recommend mastectomy because DCIS is so wide spread.  I actually watched a movie this last Saturday on the Lifetime Network with Ricki Lake where she was diagnosed with the same kind of cancer  as I had and she had a mastectomy.  Dr. Perry said that there are a bunch of doctors that really push mastectomy when there really are alternatives. 

 

Especially when DCIS is found typically in younger women more often, the Kewl thing is that Dr Perry is very forward thinking and believes in breast conservation first.  She also has a specialty surgery cut that most doctors don't do when doing a lumpectomy where there is minimal scaring to the breast area. And really now after the surgery there isn't any deformity, where as the other 2 doctors that I saw prior to deciding to go with Dr. Perry said I needed to have a mastectomy because there would be a large defect to the breast and that's why I should get a Mastectomy instead of a lumpectomy.  I am so glad I did my research and found Dr. Perry.

 

Dr. Perry did say there was a 30% chance I'd have to go back but we were hoping I wouldn't have to.  Like I said in my last blog , I was pretty bummed about having to go back to surgery.  I got really down for about 2 hours but I am ok with it now, cause I Know God's Grace can get me through anything.

 

Thank you for praying with and for me.  It really makes a difference!!!

 

"If God says it is  okay, it's okay."

Acts 10:15 (The Message)

The Message(MSG)

Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

 

Mute Math - OK"

Down on my knees down on my face
You just say it's ok
So many days I've thrown away
You just say it's ok
I don't think I could ever repay
Your perfect grace, but it's ok

It's ok, It's ok
It's ok, It's ok
You've become my embrace
Just tell me it's ok

Your precious words intoxicate
A heart that aches; it's ok
You don't recall my past mistakes
You just say it's ok
The human mind can't calculate
Your perfect grace, but it's ok

Even though you've seen a thousand times
I've let you down
You're always there if I should call your name
You're unashamed, unashamed